cabling type for pulse transmitter/counter and water meter

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ngant17
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2016 11:23 am

cabling type for pulse transmitter/counter and water meter

Post by ngant17 »

I understand that a 18-20 gauge Cat5 UTP cable, for a distance of up to 200ft between my flow meter and my pulse counting device, will be adequate to avoid signal loss or attenuation.

I only need 18-2 (18 gauge, 2 conductor) wire for this, and I want to use direct burial from flow meter to side of building. At which point I will run the cable from outside and into building and then wire up my pulse counting device. Commercial systems when I've worked before typically use "icky-pick" direct burial Cat5 cable to connect flow meter to pulse transmitter, but it is generally restricted to outdoors only, due to fire hazard of gel-filling in cable sheathing.

Question: Which direct burial 18-2 cables would be good for a max. 200ft. from flow sensor/flow meter to pulse transmitter, if part that cable run would be going inside a building?

18/2 Plenum Communication Cable
2 Conductor 18 AWG Unshielded Fire Alarm Cable FPLP
2C/18 AWG BC STRANDED SHIELDED DIRECT BURIAl
PLENUM Rated 18/2 Security Cable Stranded CMP Fire Alarm/Control Wire

Do I have to make sure I am using twisted pair in any case to avoid signal loss?
Jameson
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Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2011 7:42 pm
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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Re: cabling type for pulse transmitter/counter and water meter

Post by Jameson »

Heloo ngant17,

Welcome to the forum.

I would think that any of the wires you mentioned should work well. The Pulse signal is just a circuit closure, so if you can measure a circuit closure with a continuity tester it should work. Twisted Pair and or Shielded wire should not make a difference for the Pulse Signal in the same way that it does for the RS485 signal.

But if someone were to ask what kind of wire to buy, we recommend you get CAT5 because then you can use it for your Pulse Wire (and have 3 extra pairs to work with), for your RS485 wire (and have 3 extra pairs to work with), and for the connection from your EKM Push to your internet router. The worst would be to bury a 2 strand wire and then discover a year later that your should have buried 4 strands (more trenching). I like this direct burial wire, it is cheap, seems pretty bullet proof, but a little too stiff: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R4 ... K&_sacat=0

Good luck!
Jameson
EKM METERING
http://www.ekmmetering.com
831.425.7371
ngant17
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2016 11:23 am

Re: cabling type for pulse transmitter/counter and water meter

Post by ngant17 »

Thanks,the ebay listing of direct burial CAT5 looks suitable so I'll have to experiment with the best compromise between an outdoor type and an easy pull once I drill thru the concrete wall and drop cable inside for a run to router location.

BTW I read that the EKM Push will generate email alerts, but does it do that also as text messages to cell phones?
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